CH 18

Lu Yong was furious.

If anyone else could take in Shen Wenqiu as a refuge, would he come to him? He was lying again.

But usually, it didn’t matter to Lu Yong if Shen Wenqiu lied to him, but now he lied and left him? Why? What did he do wrong? Had he not done enough?

He finally had a chance, but why did it fail again?

Lu Yong had a murderous aura as he gazed straight ahead, discouraging an innocent passerby who was waiting outside from entering the elevator.The elevator closed again and descended.

Lu Yong held onto Shen Wenqiu’s wrist as if he would not let go if Shen Wenqiu didn’t agree with him.

The more guilty Shen Wenqiu was, the more he wanted to show a careless attitude. The wrist that Lu Yong held tightly, hurt a bit. Probably because Lu Yong use a robotic arm that didn’t have many perceptions, so he couldn’t grasp the size well, or the action might be deliberate, “Then I’m going to waste your time.”

“Dayong, stop grabbing me. I’m not going to run.”

In fact, at this moment, he was frantically searching for anyone in his hometown who would want to take him in. There was no need to take him in for real. They just needed to pretend for today. 

But all the way to the parking lot, he couldn’t figure out where he had such a friend.

Since his family went bankrupt, everyone had avoided him like avoiding snakes and scorpions.

“Beep beep”

The car lights flashed.

Like a prisoner, Lu Yong pulled him to the door of the car, opened it, and then let go and gestured for him to sit in.

Shen Wenqiu looked at the front passenger seat and said, “You must be tired after driving such a long road, let me drive instead.”

Lu Yong only said two words, “I’m driving.”

Shen Wenqiu closed his mouth, his lips mumbled, “…oh.”

The gentlest person was the most terrible when they got angry. Shen Wenqiu had a cold spasm under his heart, and then thought, why is Lu Yong so angry? Lu Yong must think he is an ungrateful swine by now.

Shen Wenqiu was about to get in the car but was again held on the collar of his shirt by Lu Yong. Shen Wenqiu felt like a dog who was pinched by the neck, stopped, and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Lu Yong snarled in a low voice, “Forget it, don’t sit in the passenger seat. You sit in the back, the journey is very long, and if you are sleepy, go to sleep!”

Shen Wenqiu was seated in the backseat, the door was open, and Lu Yong was still standing outside. As soon as he sat down, he said, “Fasten your seat belt.”

Shen Wenqiu felt like a kid who had just entered elementary school. He didn’t talk back to Lu Yong, instead obediently fastened the seat belt by himself and buckled it tightly.

Lu Yong watched him fasten his seat belt, then walked to the back, took the lamb neck pillow placed at the back, and shoved it at him angrily, “Here you are!”

Shen Wenqiu grabbed the neck pillow in a daze, and Lu Yong closed the door with a “bang”. He was trapped in the car as he  silently watched Lu Yong go back to the left side of the car and get into the driver’s seat.

This car was like an elegant gentleman with extremely violent kernel engine data, which made a  frightening and thunderous sound when it started.

Shen Wenqiu didn’t dare to say anything, he felt that Lu Yong would step on the accelerator to the extreme in the next second.

But he didn’t. 

Lu Yong drove calmly and smoothly, all operations were fine and concise, without any problems.

The vehicle drove out of the garage and onto the road.

Shen Wenqiu deliberately changed the subject and asked slowly, “Speaking of which, when did you get your driver’s license? Is it an ordinary driver’s license?”

Disabled people could not easily apply for a driver’s license. Shen Wenqiu almost forgot about it. Even if this was a right that normal people took for granted, not everyone could do it.

Lu Yong said, “No, the test was for the driver’s license for the disabled. A few years ago, the country launched the driver’s license test for the disabled. I took the test. I wasn’t allowed to take the test before.”

It is said that there are more than 80 million disabled people in China, accounting for about 6% of the total population. Almost one out of sixteen or seventeen people was a handicapped person. Looking at the data,this was a huge number, but they were rarely seen out in real life.

Shen Wenqiu has only had one disabled classmate like Lu Yong since he was a child.

Driving a vehicle was actually a very dangerous thing. Therefore, the requirements for participating in the driver’s license assessment were strict, and opportunities could not be easily obtained, let alone for the disabled. He thought that it might be because of this that Lu Yong was particularly careful when he was driving.

When they were studying, they occasionally went out on bicycles together, and they didn’t think it was any hindrance. They could ride a bicycle with one hand.

At that time, some classmates deliberately let go of both hands to ride a bike in order to be cool. At a young age, they were stupid. They didn’t understand  the concept of cherishing their lives in their minds.They did everything that would seek them death. They also felt that they were independent and immensely pleased with themselves.

But Lu Yong was not. He absolutely disliked any kind of dangerous behaviour. If he saw it, he would definitely put it forward in a serious manner, ruining the atmosphere. Even on a road with no people, he would wait for the red light and resolutely would not cross the crosswalk.

The Chinese teacher taught the phrase “To be careful and exercise self-restraint”. The longer Shen Wenqiu and Lu Yong got along, the more he thought that this word was tailor-made for him.

When he was in first year of high school, a classmate in the class lost something once.

Someone said, “Could it be that Lu Yong picked it up thinking it was waste product? Doesn’t he pick up things all day?”

Lu Yong would separate the recyclable bottles and papers in the trash can, so the classmates thought he collected them and brought them back. But that was actually not the case. Shen Wenqiu knew the truth. They had seen an old lady who lived nearby dig through the trash can before. After Lu Yong cleaned up the trash, he would put them by the back door and give them to the old lady everyday.

However, wasn’t this person saying that he suspected Lu Yong was stealing something? Shen Wenqiu, as Lu Yong’s deskmate, was the first to be anxious, and said angrily, “I have been with Lu Yong, don’t talk nonsense, what’s the matter with you now?”

Lu Yong seemed to have not heard the hidden meaning behind the words, and solemnly said, “I can still tell which garbage is reusable and which is not.”

All the people who wanted to watch the joke were taken back all at once. Fortunately, he was so tall that no one else could bully him.

Lu Yong was like that, upright, to the point that it made people worry about him.

He was like a solid steel column, even if it was a heavy stone, he could support it unwaveringly.

Thinking about it, Shen Wenqiu chuckled twice and laughed at himself.

He used to worry about Lu Yong’s character all day long, worrying about what would happen to him when he entered society. He was worried about nothing. Lu Yong had successfully grown into a reliable adult, but he on the other hand seemed to have not grown up, he had no ability and no future.

He thought, if Lu Yong was in his position, he would definitely not fall into the same irrevocable situation that he was in today.

If only, if he had come back earlier to see Lu Yong it would have been good.

Maybe a little earlier, he could still be considered as recyclable garbage, right? Now, he was rotten to the point that he couldn’t be recycled anymore.

Lu Yong asked, “What are you laughing at?”

“Nothing…” Shen Wenqiu closed his eyes and said, “I will sleep for a while.”

Lu Yong said, “Okay, I’ll wake you up when I get to the service station.”

Shen Wenqiu’s heart was always anxious and he dreamt a lot. As long as he closed his eyes and went to bed, he would start to dream. It was usually a nightmare, and sometimes he could have several nightmares at once.

Since living in Lu Yong’s house, he had not been having nightmares but continued to have a vestige of past and dreams when he was a teenager. Dreams were full of good times, happy moments, but as he woke up back to reality, the pain doubled.

He didn’t know if it was because he was thinking about going home to sweep his father’s grave, he dreamed of his father in the back seat of the bumpy car.

……

His mom died in a car accident in his second year of junior high.

He was playing basketball with his classmates at the time, and suddenly received a call, he had no time to change his clothes or wipe off his sweat. He hurried to the hospital and spent five hours outside the emergency room with his father. She was temporarily resuscitated but after a three day fight  in the ICU, she still left.

The doctor told them the bad news.

Before the doctor’s voice fell, he had already burst into tears.

His dad hugged his shoulders, Shen Wenqiu was teary eyed as looked up at his dad. His dad’s face was pale, but he didn’t cry. He just looked like he had lost his soul. After half a minute, he politely said to the doctor, “Thank you. You’ve worked hard.”

His dad who had always been very eloquent suddenly became a dumb-mouthed person. He talked hoarsely. As if he was dumb, when he finished speaking, he seemed to have forgotten what he had said, and repeated, “You’ve worked hard. You’ve worked hard”

Shen Wenqiu sobbed and said, “Dad.”

His dad took his hand and sluggishly, slowly asked the doctor, “Then… then can I take my wife home now?”

His dad grabbed him tightly and said to him: “Xiao Baa, let’s go home. Let’s go home with mum.” 　

……

They had lunch in the service area and continued their journey.

Shen Wenqiu woke up and stopped sleeping.

When they were almost entering the city, Lu Yong asked, “You haven’t told me when are you going to live after you go back, I’ll need to change the navigation destination.”

Shen Wenqiu said, “You send me to the cemetery, Jingshan Bamboo Garden. I’ll go sweep my father’s grave first.”

They then diverted to the cemetery.

Shen Wenqiu’s family was still very well off when his mother died. His father bought a burial site for 500,000 yuan1

But his father still refused, and privately said to Shen Wenqiu, “After all, it’s still illegal. I can find a way when I’m still alive. What if I’m gone, and you’re gone as well? What would happen if it’s torn down? I wouldn’t know anything after I die, and it’s not good if I’m separated from your mother. It’s better for the land to be legal and compliant.”

Shen Wenqiu’s dad was not afraid of risks when doing business, only on this point, his dad didn’t want to take any risks.

Thanks to the full payment in advance, the left grave was empty, even after their family went bankrupt and ran out of money, Shen Wenqiu could still smoothly finish the funeral and bury his parents’ urn in one place.

Over the years, he lived in a muddle-headed manner. He often didn’t even know what day it was – just living a half-life. Only his parents’ death day was remembered clearly, and he had to go to the tomb on every ancestor worship day.

Shen Wenqiu bought good incense, paper money, and wine at the service desk, and put them in a basket. He also bought a bouquet of flowers. Lu Yong also bought a bouquet and held it in his arms.

Shen Wenqiu didn’t pay attention, “Really?”

Lu Yong confirmed and nodded, “Yeah. Everyone liked you.”

Shen Wenqiu smiled and said, “It’s all old history.”

They all liked Xiao Baa, but he had not been Xiao Baa for a long time, la!

Shen Wenqiu chewed carefully while thinking about what to do next, he thought, if he really had no choice…just find Xuan Jiayou first.

“Isn’t this Young Master Shen?”

A man’s voice suddenly sounded over his head. The voice was like a sticky and slippery snake suddenly thrown down his neckline, Shen Wenqiu jerked upright, turned, and looked around.

When Shen Wenqiu saw this loan shark, his scalp went numb, as if he was being haunted.

Old Wu put his hand on Shen Wenqiu’s shoulder, squeezed it somewhat tightly, and looked at him with a smile, “What a coincidence? Our brothers were missing you, and I actually ran into you.”

Looking at Lu Yong again, he said, “Is this the friend you talked about last time?”

Lu Yong asked, “You are?”

Old Wu said, “My surname is Wu. I’m in the transportation business, you can call me Old Wu. How should I address you?”

Lu Yong took out the business card case from his pocket, took out a business card, and handed it over, “Lu Yong.”

Old Wu took a look, smoked a cigarette, and smiled, “Oh, it’s still a bronzing business card.”

He deliberately readout, “Hefeng Co., Ltd…recycling technology…recycling of used batteries, electronic waste recycling, rare metal cobalt…cobalt…Is  the next word pronounced as “nie”? Hehe, I can’t even read it. The old man is illiterate.”

“It looks very high-tech. Rich, rich. President Lu, President Lu.”

Old Wu put away his business card and said to Shen Wenqiu, “Young Master Shen, didn’t you say you wanted to bring your friends to play with you last time?”

“It is better to choose a date than encounter the date.4  It just happens that there is an event tonight, so let’s go there together now.”

Shen Wenqiu’s expression became cold and he lied without blinking his eyes, “I don’t know him well, he is not my friend. I can’t take him there.”

This unexpected circumstance made Lu Yong caught off guard, “…”

Old Wu didn’t get angry. He just turned his head to look at Lu Yong and asked: “He said you are not his friend, Young Master Shen just likes to joke, right? Very humorous. Friend, let’s go play together.”

He then said to Shen Wenqiu: “You didn’t say that when I looked for you last time. You have to be honest and you can’t lie. Even three-year-old kids know that. Don’t you think so, Young Master Shen?”

Shen Wenqiu insisted, “Anyway, he is not my friend. I couldn’t possibly bring him along.”

Old Wu was about to talk to Lu Yong again, Shen Wenqiu couldn’t sit still anymore, he stood up, and without knowing where his strength came from, he dragged the fatty out and prevented him from approaching Lu Yong for half a step.

Lu Yong stood up, buttoning the buttons on the hem of his suit calmly, and asked, “Where are you going?”

“I’ll go with you.”

approximately 78400 USD 5 in the best local cemetery, which was a joint burial crypt. At that time, it was popular for many old bosses to buy land to build tombs privately, and some people wanted to introduce him to Feng Shui master, saying whether the burial was good or not would also affect his career.

But his father still refused, and privately said to Shen Wenqiu, “After all, it’s still illegal. I can find a way when I’m still alive. What if I’m gone, and you’re gone as well? What would happen if it’s torn down? I wouldn’t know anything after I die, and it’s not good if I’m separated from your mother. It’s better for the land to be legal and compliant.”

Shen Wenqiu’s dad was not afraid of risks when doing business, only on this point, his dad didn’t want to take any risks.

Thanks to the full payment in advance, the left grave was empty, even after their family went bankrupt and ran out of money, Shen Wenqiu could still smoothly finish the funeral and bury his parents’ urn in one place.

Over the years, he lived in a muddle-headed manner. He often didn’t even know what day it was – just living a half-life. Only his parents’ death day was remembered clearly, and he had to go to the tomb on every ancestor worship day.

Shen Wenqiu bought good incense, paper money, and wine at the service desk, and put them in a basket. He also bought a bouquet of flowers. Lu Yong also bought a bouquet and held it in his arms.

The two of them walked into the bamboo forest silently along the green slab stone pathway towards the quiet mountain forest in tandem.

Birds chirped, streams flowed, pine and bamboo, sunset.

In this quiet place far away from troubles, even the cicadas’ cries seemed a little less annoying.

In this case, it should be, it is better than encountering the date than choosing a date, but probably he’s no knowledgeable so he said it wrongly.